New social enterprise will be ‘a first’ for Northamptonshire

New social enterprise will be ‘a first’ for Northamptonshire New social enterprise First for Wellbeing has been officially launched in the county and it aims to bring an integrated health and wellbeing service to Northamptonshire.

The company is a partnership between Northamptonshire County Council, Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Northampton, and is considered to be the first of its kind for delivering such a diverse range of services for an entire county. Northants Herald and Post

Funding worth £9m agreed for three scanners and two tumour-destroying devices at Northampton General Hospital

Funding worth £9m agreed for three scanners and two tumour-destroying devices at Northampton General Hospital The Government has agreed to pay for upgrades to expensive cancer treatment and diagnosis machines at Northampton General Hospital. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Campaign launch calls for more people to donate blood in Northamptonshire

Campaign launch calls for more people to donate blood in Northamptonshire A new campaign to urge people to sign up as blood donors has been launched in Northamptonshire.

NHS Blood and Transplant says it needs first-time donors and, in particular, more donors from black and Asian communities. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Terminally ill Northampton woman denied benefits to have case reviewed by the Government

Terminally ill Northampton woman denied benefits to have case reviewed by the Government A terminally ill cancer patient from Northampton who was refused a disability benefit is to have her case reviewed by the Department for Work and Pensions. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Co-commissioning one year on: any progress?

Co-commissioning one year on: any progress? It is a year since most clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) took on a greater role in commissioning primary care services. NHS England reports that over this time, co-commissioning arrangements have helped to support local decision-making, enabled a more joined-up vision for primary care, increased clinical leadership and improved relationships between CCGs and local GP practices. The King's Fund

Challenges ahead for the newly established NHS Improvement

Challenges ahead for the newly established NHS Improvement The creation of NHS Improvement comes at a critical time for the NHS. In the next few months the service in general – and providers in particular – will be attempting to reverse the steep rise in deficits and, at the same time, stop the downward drift in performance in key areas such as A&E.

Beyond this, the NHS and its partners are also busy re-designing care through the vanguards and other initiatives, and re-thinking how the health and care systems work together as areas create their place-based sustainability and transformation plans – all working towards the vision of theNHS five year forward view. The King's Fund

Independent report: Dementia advisers survey

Independent report: Dementia advisers survey The report, from Age UK and IpsosMORI, contains findings from a survey into the provision of dementia adviser services throughout England.

Dementia advisers provide a single identifiable point of contact for people with dementia and their carers following a diagnosis. They have knowledge of and direct access to the whole range of available local services, providing advice, information about where to get care and enabling contact with other services.

Having a single point of contact was highlighted as being an essential element of effective post-diagnostic care in the Prime Minister’s challenge on dementia 2020. Department of Health

Statutory guidance: Multi-agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation

Statutory guidance: Multi-agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation This multi-agency guidance on female genital mutilation (FGM) should be read and followed by all persons and bodies in England and Wales who are under statutory duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. It replaces female genital mutilation: guidelines to protect children and women (2014). Department of Health

Galvanising the NHS to adopt innovation

Galvanising the NHS to adopt innovation The Department of Health and the Wellcome Trust, in co-operation with NHS England, asked RAND Europe to conduct a limited consultation with key stakeholders about the practicality of measures and incentives proposed as part of the NHS Accelerated Access Review (AAR), which aims to assess the pathways for the development, assessment, and adoption of innovative medicines and medical technology. Through a focused engagement exercise with key healthcare stakeholders this project explored the implications of selected interim AAR propositions and feasibility of implementation for key actors, in primary and secondary care as well as commissioners and academia. Rand Corporation

Britain's top psychiatrist Simon Wessely challenges Government to ring-fence mental health spending

Britain's top psychiatrist Simon Wessely challenges Government to ring-fence mental health spending Britain’s top psychiatrist has challenged the Government to ring-fence spending for a comprehensive set of new waiting times targets that experts believe could finally achieve equality for mental health patients in the NHS.

Professor Sir Simon Wessely, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych), said that claims from a former health minister that the new standards – the core recommendation of a recent landmark report – have no funding to back them up, were “crushingly disappointing”. The Independent

Seeing how the NHS handles attempted child suicide scares me

Seeing how the NHS handles attempted child suicide scares me The attitude of medical staff is a big problem, but it’s the system and lack of adolescent mental health beds that causes me the greatest stress.

Sometimes when I look into a child’s eyes I see anxiety as they decide to tell me they want to kill themselves. They might be worried at my possible reaction; will I show disapproval, be upset? Instead, I feel a deep sadness; how can somebody so young have reached the point in their lives when they think this is the only option left?

I am an outreach child and adolescent mental health nurse in the north of England. I act as the first response following a suicide attempt in a young person. I carry out a risk assessment, arrange follow up support, then decide if a young person is safe to go home, or needs a place of safety. Continue reading... The Guardian

Health charities urge talks to halt junior doctors' strikes

Health charities urge talks to halt junior doctors' strikes Coalition of 36 charities says contract dispute could cause long-term damage to public trust and confidence in NHS

Health charities have made a last-ditch appeal to Jeremy Hunt and the doctors’ union to resume peace talks in order to halt this week’s strike by junior medics.

A coalition of 36 charities have written to the health secretary and the British Medical Association warning that walkouts by junior doctors are now so common that they are becoming “normalised”. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Junior doctors' contract: equality analysis and family test Department of Health
• Terms and conditions of service for NHS doctors and dentists in training 2016 NHS Employers
• Doctors' new legal bid over contracts BBC News
• Junior doctors launch legal proceedings over imposed contract GP Online
• In this junior doctors row, both sides have lost sight of the patient | Sarah Wollaston The Guardian
• Female doctors may be forced to quit over new contract, experts say The Guardian
• If Cameron wants to stop women becoming doctors, he’s going the right way | Roshana Mehdian The Guardian
• "Patients used a pawns in toxic contract dispute" Wollaston OnMedica
• Psychiatrists fear new contract will harm recruitment of women OnMedica

Patients going blind - because the NHS delays vital follow-up appointments

Patients going blind - because the NHS delays vital follow-up appointments  Malcolm Johnson, 70, from Shropshire began seeing the first signs of an eye condition which, if not treated quickly, can permanently destroy central vision in the affected eye. The Daily Mail